1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for producing a disposable wearing article such as paper diapers and pants.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the above-mentioned type of wearing articles, in order to form, for example, a waist gathering, an elastic member is placed on a sheet surface. However, such an elastic member allows an absorber to shrink, so that the absorber becomes stiff, degrading a feeling of wearing.
As a prior art of cutting an elastic member, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-224627 discloses a method for interposing a film sheet for gathering between a peripheral surface of an adsorbent roller and a cutter blade of a cutter roller, and cutting the film sheet.
Furthermore, International publication No. WO 00/04855 discloses a method for forming a web loop.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 63-317576, for example, discloses a movement of a plurality of pads rotating about a predetermined axis while each of the pads changes its velocity, during a process of producing a worn article or a web (a continuous material). Japanese National Phase PCT Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-514024 discloses a material engagement member reciprocating in a direction parallel to a rotation axis of a drum.
When each of the pads is supported by a bearing, the same number of bearings as the number of pads are required so that the velocities of the pads can be changed individually, thereby increasing the size and/or complexity of the device.